


Drawn to an angel

by XenaHime53



Category: The Mortal Instruments (Movies)
Genre: Adventure, Angel Mates, Angel Sex, Angel Wings, Angelic Grace, Angels, Clary Bashing, Demons, Empathic Capacities, Eventual Smut, F/M, Family, Horror, Humor, Hurt & Comfort, Memory Loss, Possessive Behavior, Protectiveness, Religion, Romance, Seizures, Shadow Hunters, Soul Bond, Suspense, True Mates, Vampires, Warlock - Freeform, Wing Kink, friendships
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-04-12
Updated: 2018-02-11
Packaged: 2018-03-22 13:50:09
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 13,870
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3731224
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/XenaHime53/pseuds/XenaHime53
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jace didn't think he would ever see an angel but that was before he met Lillian Fray, Clary's adoptive sister, at Pandemonium. Lillian nodded and shivered when he was suddenly too close to her back, his finger tips feeling a little rough and really good as they traced the white lines on her back that looked like a tribal tattoo of angel wings. Jace's voice was a mixture of soft and husky as he murmured in her ear, and it did funny things to her lower stomach, "You're an angel.."</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Breaking in the wings

**Breaking in the wings**

**...**

"I'm not sure about this Clary." A beautiful honey blond haired teenager spoke up nervously as her and her sister's friend Simon were dragged to the bouncer of the growing line in front of a club called Pandemonium. Clary shot her a look that had become a common occurance - told that she was a thorn in the red head's side, but Lillian couldn't help it. Not really, there was something that told her to get as far away from here as possible but Clary's tight grip wouldn't allow her to get very far.

"I want to ask what that symbol means." Clary pushed forward and Lillian tilted her head up to see the exact baby blue symbol that she had been drawing for as long as she could remember, a neon light over the sign of the club. As much as she wanted to know for herself, she wanted to get away all the same. There were bound to be flashing lights in this club and the doctor said that she couldn't be in the dark with flashing lights due to a medical condition she.. acquired when she was young. Clary knew this very well, and maybe she just forgot.

That's okay, she's only human. It's not Clary's fault that there was something wrong with her. When they were allowed in by the whispered words of a guy that had the eye color of a bright green, most likely contacts, Lillian couldn't help but whimper at the pain that was about to come. Still being pulled in by the arm, Lillian shut her eyes tightly when she saw the first flashing light. Using her senses to create a path around the swaying, sweaty bodies around her, she made it only a few steps to the exit before she accidentally bumped into someone.

"Hard to walk with your eyes closed, hm?" An surprised yet irritated male voice spoke out softly from in front of her and Lillian opened her wide vulnerable blue eyes to look up at the teenager in front of her. She tilted her head slowly to the side, taking in his startled expression that she actually bumped into him, his dark hair and blue eyes before looking at his showing tattooed runes.

"I.. I'm sorry." Lillian started to get light headed and the lights seemed to try their best on attacking her now. "I was dragged here by my sister, I need to get out of-" She suddenly felt sick and he caught her as she swayed on her feet, before widening his eyes as he caught something slowly trying to peel off her exposed shoulder that wasn't what was natural for humans to do in this blistering summer heat. It looked like a - his eyebrows pulled together in concentration and almost dropped her in surprise when he got a closer look at what it was.

 _Feathers.._ It.. wasn't possible. He picked her up and brought her to one of the back rooms before slowly lowering her onto the bed that was there. He lowered his face, his eyes kinder than they had been all night and was worried when he noticed her slipping in and out of focus. "My name is Alec.. what's yours?"

"L-Lillian." She forced her heavy tongue to move as she looked up at him weary, her lips twisting with nervousness, "Are you going to take me to the hospital?"

Alec tilted his head to the side slowly, pure confusion on his face as he processed her question quickly, "And why would I do that?"

"I always go.. It terrifies me." She admitted softly with tears in her wide eyes, "Bright lights in the dark don't like me.. They make my head hurt.."

"I don't bring you." The corner of his lip twitched upwards when she brightened up considerably, she was like the more innocent version of Isabelle. There was only one problem with all of this.. "But why were you here if..? You said earlier that you were _'dragged'_ here?"

"By my sister .. or, I guess technically.. I'm adopted." Lillian spoke softly to clarify at the end of her broken ramble, "I am safe.. and happy.. when Clary isn't telling me that I am a burden or arguing in front of me. She doesn't mean it..She is in charge of looking after me and .." She whimpered, the sound cutting off what she was about to say and she tried her best to sit up, only succeeding when Alec helped her. "My back.. it _burns_."

She looked up at him with tears in her eyes, hoping with everything in her that this nice teenager would help stop the pain. He looked at her sadly, knowing full well what she was hoping for him to do since her eyes left her an open book.. but this was something that he couldn't help with. He didn't even know how to try and start to help the girl. "I'll be right back.. okay?"

Lillian tilted her head up to judge if he was just making an excuse to leave, before nodding when she found none. He smiled softly and locked the door as he left her in the brightly lit room that would have been filled with silence if the sound of the music didn't threaten to leak through. The pain in her back started to grow worse by the minute and she threw off her white tank top to reach to touch her stinging shoulder, surprised when a silk-like texture greeted her finger tips.

She fell off the bed in a haste to find a way to take the pain away, crawling into a corner in only her lacy white bra that cupped her 36C breasts and her faded blue jeans. Through the pain, she thought she heard Clary scream but couldn't be sure.. she also dreaded going back out to the club part to try and find out. Inch by inch something peeled off her olive skin toned back, painfully reaching out and bringing relief as it wrapped around her body.

Her feet kicked lightly in the air beneath her as she floated effortlessly, hoping to the lord above that she wasn't some kind of human-bird hybrid thing, until her concentration was broken by the door opening. She only had enough time to twist her head to the side to see Alec brought two friends with him before she fell to the ground with a soft scream.

Alec rushed to help her up, closely followed by the other two, all of them freezing in place when they caught a hiss of pain she gave them when one accidentally touched her beautiful feathers that were tinted in some areas with her own blood.

The dark haired beauty that looked like a female version of Alec struggled to pick up her jaw, "An actual _angel_..? Alec, I thought that you were joking."

The boy that was looking at her with awe, slowly pulled off his hood to show her his curly blond hair, "You name is Lillian?" He questioned with a smile and reached out his hand to introduce himself, "My name is Jace."

Lillian tilted her head while looking between his offered hand and his aura of wonderful colors, smiling softly when she saw that while he felt surprise and awe toward her.. he also felt the same pull towards her that she felt toward him even though both of them didn't know the word for it. She saw no hint of danger coming from any of them and a few of her wings drew back to make room for her hand to squeeze through. When she shyly touched his hand for the first time, a shock went through her system and made her pull back her hand abruptly in confusion, "It's nice to meet you.." She murmured quietly.

"And I'm Isabelle." The dark haired girl smiled softly at her after shooting a expression of pure confusion at Jace, "I apologize on behalf of the manners these two have. It's nice to meet you."

Lillian smiled brightly up at the girl, thankful that the girl was both beautiful on the inside as well as out. She wished Clary would act like this sometimes but knew no matter how much she wished for it, it wouldn't come true. "Nice to meet you as well. It's okay." Her eyes brightened with happiness as she told Isabelle this before a sharp pain pulsed through her head, making her hand reach up to caress her soft blond strains before looking up at Alec sadly. "My head still hurts.."

She shut her eyes that were stinging with tears as another wave of pain hurt her mind, and she completely missed the look of anger that the siblings shared while Jace looked at her sadly. He didn't know why but he was drawn to this angel like he was to no other. There was something about her innocence that made him very protective of her. He was far from a knight in shining armor, he didn't save princesses on a regular basis.. and he hated to admit it, even if it was to himself, but every smile she gave and every look he gave her..

 _So much for only loving himself._ He didn't exactly love her, not yet anyways but was stuck in adoration when it came to this beautiful teenager that he only just met. He needed to find a way to stop the seizure that was starting to come on.. His eyes widened as he got an idea just as her eyes completely went out of focus.

"Jace! What are you -"

"She's an _angel_ , Isabelle.. I don't know how, but you can bet I am going to find out. It wouldn't hurt her and it would stop this as well as many others that will no doubt follow it." Jace growled loudly under his breath before softly moving some of the feathers away from her body, taking note to remember that they hurt her before, and was greeted with the sight of her two breasts pushed together by an 'innocent' white lace bra that softly cupped the both of them. He had never been more glad that Alec was not attracted to girls, and even so it seemed that his friend seemed to think of Lillian as another sister.

Thank heavens. It would drive him crazy if Alec was actually turned on by the sight of.. Jace took one more look that was filled with temptation and the thought of showing her a good side of corruption filled his mind before he shook it away. A rune was drawn on the underside of her right plump breast that would put an end of most, if not all, of the seizures she would have before moving to her left rib cage and drawing the angelic symbol to help her control her wings. Hopefully make them less painful as well.

In his arms, the wings engulfing the beauty slowly pulled back to where they came from and Jace gently pulled her up to look and see that they formed a white outline of the wings spread out on her back . Alec stepped forward with her disregarded shirt and raised a protective eyebrow at the rune that was too close to her chest to be innocent.

Jace shrugged in answer which Alec wasn't happy with but kept silent as he helped the sleeping angel back into her shirt. "That red head girl from before that saw us is coming here looking for Lillian along with her friend.. he called her _Clary_." Isabelle growled out to her brother and her friend, happy that Alec's face turned as hard as her tone was when she spat out the name of Lillian's 'sister'. The red head didn't care for Lillian and without even speaking a word to her, both siblings hated her. Lillian wasn't rude nor was she a stuck up snob.. she was innocent. _Naive_. Sweet.

Jace shook his head sadly to himself before reaching in the inside of his leather jacket and smiled when he saw that the angel in front of him looked good with his sunglasses on. He leaned over to kiss her forehead, and murmured a soft, playful promise to her that he was going to want those sunglasses back before when he was pulled away from her and pushed into a huge closet that the room had just as the door opened.


	2. "You're an angel.."

**...**

**'Your an angel..'**

**...**

_Jace shook his head sadly to himself before reaching in the inside of his leather jacket and smiled when he saw that the angel in front of him looked good with his sunglasses on. He leaned over to kiss her forehead, and murmured a soft, playful promise to her that he was going to want those sunglasses back before when he was pulled away from her and pushed into a huge closet that the room had just as the door opened._

Lillian groaned lowly to herself as she pulled herself out of bed, looking down with blurry vision to see that she was in the same clothes that she wore last night with confusion on her face before crawling out of bed to open a window. She yawned widely and then took notice of something that shouldn't have been there. Her hands were lined softly with multicolored chalk. Her eyebrows pulled together as she stared at them before moving her eyes to see that her chalk was out of the huge box and was currently laying on pieces of paper that had that symbol that she always drew.

A diamond with two arrows pointing upward at the top. She shook her head, not knowing what to make of it and was shocked into silence when she tried to get her clothes for a shower and was greeted with the sight of pieces of paper being pinned everywhere around her room on small, different colored paper.

Lillian stood there stunned before shaking her head again, locked her door and got in the conjoined shower that was apart of her room. Stepping out of shower a few minutes later smelling like vanilla, she dried off her hair when she suddenly noticed their was a slight stinging on her left side and underneath one of the plump mounds that was her chest. She looked, expecting to see a bug bite and gasped when there were sudden two tattoos on her body.

The one on her side looked like the one that was currently all over her room, like it was painted in baby blue last night, and the other she didn't recognize. This might just be the first time that she hid something from her mother. She still wondered what happened last night..

_"You've got to be kidding me?!" She heard a familiar growl as she got her focus back, being helped up by Clay's friend Simon that likes her alot, "We come to a club and she lingers in a back room like some emo wannabe?"_

_She groaned loudly, trying to keep her head from spinning and smiled softly when she opened her eyes to see sunglasses on her face. Lillian walked out of the room to get a cab home, ignoring Clary as she complained behind her, freaking out that she saw a group killing the guy that let them in the club. Maybe it was rude, it sure felt like it, Lillian couldn't help but remember the guy and his aura. He was dangerous.. maybe her aura reading wasn't completely off after all?_

_Most likely, yet she had a weird night and all she wanted to do was go home, so ignoring the arguement that Clary started to give Simon about how 'What did we breathe different air?!' - that was starting to hurt her head all over again, Lillian concentrated on flagging down a cab._

She shook her head to clear away her thoughts and opened the door, heading to her dresser and pulling out her clothes for the day. Pulling on a lacy white bra that matched her underwear, she got on a white shirt with lightly printed tiger stripes in a white that shined and lace in the back, black faded jeans and some flats. She looked in the mirror, judging what she was doing to do with her hair today before shrugging and brushing it and pulling it up in a ponytail with a black ribbon before looking herself over.

With a nod that she liked her hair, she grabbed her shoulder bag and opened it to put a few of the papers that were all of her room inside, her brush, the sunglasses that were given to her last night, her phone, her vanilla perfume, four pads since she got her monthy two days ago and her small white tiger stuffed animal that she had since she could remember.

As soon as she opened the door, she could already hear her mother and Clary fighting over something. She liked her mother's paintings, and had been taught to throw herself in creativity ever since she was young. Lillian couldn't help but wonder what her mother would think if she discovered what she found out last night. She got some juice from the fridge and washed her glass when she was done.

"-To _what_? You're _one_ buyer? He probably just buys your paintings because he's _into you_ , and I'm sure you just will _string him along_ like you do with Luke!" Lillian blinked in surprise at what Clary said. Luke and their mother were very good friends, and she trusted Luke with her life. She knew him for as long as she could remember. She didn't appreciate that and by her mother's response to that, she was just as surprised as Lillian was.

"Do you _really_ want to have _that_ conversation? Good morning Lily." She smiled when she heard her mother call out to her, and moved out of the kitchen to give her a hug. Her mother looked beautiful today with her dark hair curled and up, "How are you feeling today?" Lillian knew the question was coming after her mother found out where Clary dragged her off to.

"I'm feeling .. strange, but only a little bit." Lillian smiled as she shrugged before kissing her mother on the cheek. Her mother watched her walk into the kitchen before turning her attention to Clary just as she growled out a 'What's _that_ supposed to mean?'

Lillian grabbed her bag and moved back into the living room, "Ma I'm going to Java Jones for breakfast, okay? Do you want me to pick you up anything?" Her mother seemed to be on the verge of telling her not to go but simply shook her head and let her leave, glaring at Clary when she yelled out a 'She's not your mother!' at Lillian as she started to leave.

"Yes, she _is_!" Lillian dared to yell back and ignored the growing headache that came when the mother and daughter argued back and forth this time about her. Lillian shut the door with a long sigh and blushed softly, maybe her temper today was short because of her menstural? Maybe that's it. She wasn't normally so.. _bold_.

She smiled softly and started to walk the four blocks to Java Jones, thinking that maybe today would be a good day after all.

...

It was warm in the air as she walked the streets of New York cautiously, getting to Java Jones without any problems and Lillian sighed in relief when she opened the glass door and walked inside to the cool air. She ordered a coffee and a breakfast bagel with bacon and egg, before sitting down at a nearby table to take a closer look at the drawings. Since when did she draw in her sleep? Lillian smiled and gave a polite thank you when her food was done, moving the papers to the side to take a sip of her coffee and a bite of her breakfast.

Suddenly the breakfast bagel was dropped back on the plate, the top of it tilting in a move that made it no longer neat, as a tightened pull wrapped around her heart. It felt like heartburn but more painful than that, only to be cooled as it loosened and the rune underneath her breast heated up softly. Lillian pulled her eyebrows together in confusion, trying to make sense of it and looked up slowly to see one of the guys from last night looking down at her with a soft smile as he took in her holding her heart.

He obviously knew something and when he looked at the symbol that she drew over and over last night, he gave her a soft smile of understanding. _Jace_.. she believed he introduced himself as, she grabbed her bag and pulled out the black sunglasses that were given to her last night. "I take it these are yours?" She smiled softly up at him, only to get a few weird looks from everyone.

Her eyes took on a look of confusion before it melted away and she nodded, grabbing her bag and heading out through the back door, just missing Clary and Simon walk in a few seconds later after Jace followed her. Lillian looked at him curiously with a tilt of her head, "I can see you and no one else can, right?" He nodded softly to her with a slight smile at how quickly she figured it out, "Are you a ghost?"

"No." He answered her with an amused grin as he caught her mumble of 'There goes all the normal movie questions.' and gave another 'No.' when she asked curiously if she made him with her all powerful imagination. "I'm as real as you are.. and I know why you're drawing that symbol." He moved around to half circle her as he whispered to her, "Do you remember last night?"

She remembers most of it. The pain, the stumbling to get out of the club.. the almost seizure, she remembers how nice Isabelle, Alec and Jace were.. the wings.. It all seemed impossible to her. Fantasy.. Maybe she was still dreaming?

Lillian nodded and shivered when he was suddenly too close to her back, his finger tips feeling a little rough and really _good_ as they traced the white lines on her back that looked like a tribal tattoo of angel wings. Jace's voice was a mixture of soft and husky as he murmured in her ear, and it did funny things to her lower stomach, "You're an _angel_.."

Lillian, not finding any words that came to mind with the compliment and his closeness, promptly blushed darkly.

...


	3. Heaven right beside you

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay it has been quite a while since I have updated this story and I am so sorry! I needed inspiration to push me to finish what I had, not to mention the time to work on it since I have been doing night classes since .. well; about the end of last year. I hope you like this. We are finally on chapter three - "Heaven Beside You" where we start to try and progress Jace/Lillian even with upcoming troubles on the horizon. I hope you like it; thank you very much for your reviews, favorites follows, and for overall clicking my story. :)

Recap! Last time we left off with Lillian and Jace in the alleyway behind Java Jones:

_Lillian nodded and shivered when he was suddenly too close to her back, his finger tips feeling a little rough and really white lines on her back that looked like a tribal tattoo of angel wings. Jace's voice was a mixture of soft and husky as he murmured in her ear, and it did funny things to her lower stomach, "You're an angel.."_

_Lillian, not finding any words that came to mind with the compliment and his closeness, promptly blushed darkly._

...

The last three words that were spoken to her by the handsome blonde teenager whom stood before her effectively stunned Lillian, almost immediately stopping her right in her tracks. It had taken her a little more than a few seconds to actually attempt yo even comprehend those words; let alone allow herself to believe that he had meant to say such words to someone like.. like _her_.

Yes, the male known as Jace had all but whispered them sensually into her ear and yes, she most definitely liked the twist of foreign emotions within her stomach that were the result of his words. A result of making her flustered and probably something he had counted on being her reaction.. She felt suspiciously light headed as hormones pulsed within her blood, a concept that was as new to her as the prospect of someone actually liking her. Someone that may have very well prefer her over Clary, an occurrence that rarely happened, if at all. Even if there wasn't any hope for romance in her future, the young man in front of her and his two friends had seemed to want her company.. to want to get to know her, for what very well might have been the very first time someone had done so. Was all of this coming on too fast? She didn't know the answer to this question, not when Lily had never been in an relationship before.. She had never been drawn to anyone the way she found herself drawn to..

Sure Simon was nice to her, loyal even, despite the fact that as Clary's adoptive sister it seemed that she was granted that by default.. but he was not her type. (Heaven, until she set her eyes on Jace she could have sworn she didn't even have a type..) Though even if he was, Lillian wouldn't have developed feelings for him simply for the fact that the boy had his heart set on her sister.. who more often than not denied the fact that Lillian even was her family. Yet, as much as the words hurt, she knew that Clary was correct.

All her life she was regarded to most as a nobody. The quiet, ill younger 'sister' that paled in comparison to the vibrant crimson haired beauty. The both of them were different in many ways, shining from the inside out; differentiated their personality to their appearances. Clary more often than not acted impulsive, ambitious and selfish despite the fact that she was always the one to successfully draw in a guy with her red curly waves that reflected the fire housed within her blood, her wide, doe eyes glinting with hidden secrets that they wanted to uncover. While Lillian was the complete opposite of the confident redhead in more ways than one in regards to all things Clary. She was found to be quieter, naïve to most things and would rather curl up with a good book or listen to music than follow Clary in doing.. whatever she was doing in that moment. She was also what the crimson haired beauty had deemed 'childish' for liking the things that she did as Lily would often go put of her way to withdraw from the others around her in an effort to not be in there way.

Part of Lillian's mind betrayed her as it provided that maybe she was reading too much into his words.. maybe he had called her an 'angel' simply to state as a fact. As there was the only explanation to what happened last night at the club, despite how much she disbelieved this revealed truth. Her.. An angel? She was just Lillian. Lillian the girl that was terrified of hospitals because of how much over the years that she found herself gaining conscious only to find herself laying in one of their beds.. She couldn't be some beautiful angel whom miraculously walked the earth. There had to be some kind of mistake.. a false consumption to all of this and last night had simply been a dream.. Her hormones wacky due to her monthly pain. The end; nothing more and nothing less.

Though Lillian also couldn't comprehend why such a dream featured the handsome familiar strong that literally stood right beside here.. clearly real and ... _Damn it, all of this isn't making any sense!_

All of her nagging doubt that plagued her mind now could not be silenced try as she might, and a sigh broke free from it's previous containment behind her lips as one thought went spiraling to the forefront of her mind: Will I ever be good enough in the eyes of someone else who is not the only mother I have ever known?

It seemed like an impossible task when trying to break free from Clary's mighty shadow.. and to this day, Lillian couldn't find the root to Clary's problem of her. All Lily found herself wishing for was the tall tale, warm comforting feeling of she belonged somewhere.. somewhere safe and cared for. Somewhere that she was free to be herself.. whatever that may entail - accepted. Was that really so much of a hard concept?

Little did she know, the struggle that waged deep within her reflected from her orbs. She was an open book to the other teenager's observant eyes, and Jace forced himself to clench his teeth together in frustration. Not that he was irate with Lillian herself, but for her defense. He remembers how he stared after the taxi that she had gotten into with her wayward sister and friend, shrouded by the shadows that concealed his lean, muscular body from view.. making a promise that he would find everything there was about Lillian Fray, someone who posed as a complete mystery. One that he had to solve at any cost.

Jace had been unsatisfied by the results he found on this beautiful female in front of him; or rather not as many results as he had hoped to uncover. Even with the assistance that Alec and his sister Isabelle had offered, there was still pieces of the puzzle still missing; main pieces that involved this beautiful angel that had enraptured him like no other before her.

Sure, there was her files that showed him her educational background along with her medical history, but it didn't seem to be enough to satisfy his curiosity.. to fulfill that suspiciously overwhelming need within him to understand more of her. To understand more of the beautiful mystery by the name of Lillian Fray.. They found her adoption certificate, obviously but nothing that hinted on who her mother had been. Was she a fallen angel and Lillian inherited than her mother's beauty but her angelic grace as well? It was the only thing he could think of, and yet he obsessively searched for more.

To be entirely truthful, Jace didn't know whether to be relieved that there wasn't a document in existence that linked her to the angelic background that she unknowingly housed deep within her body for years.. or be disappointed that he was unable to get more of the information that he wanted. It was almost suspicious to him; to witness how both of the Lightwood siblings help him until they had exhausted all of their resources.. Grant it, Isabelle was much more tolerable at times than her brother Alec .. but it seemed that both of them took Lillian in stride. Caring for her greatly despite the fact that they all had spent.. what, less than twenty minutes with the angel?

He himself tried to appear indifferent for audiences sake, desperately attempting to conceal how much she had effected him even when he wasn't within her presence. He couldn't seem to shake the thought of her, the want to be around her.. protect her and shield her from the demonic beings he knew wandered the earth.It was then Isabelle discovered something from where she had been reading from the protection of the institute, and stormed determinedly towards where Alec and himself were cleaning their knives in silence.. what she had revealed to them had both explained the haunting feeling that she held upon his mind .. as well as making him even more light headed than he had been before:

Why hadn't anyone revealed beforehand that Angel's had mates? Why hadn't such an important thing been brought to light before - in any of their research? It could have been possible that it was because for more than a thousand years, the war had been going on .. between light and dark. Between Shadow Hunters against pretty much every other being that had malicious intent.. The most sacred records they had of angels consisted of how the bestowed Shadow Hunters the abilities to fight back. Would it have really been important at the time that just like Adam and Eve, the very first set of pairs when Lilith - (the very first wife defied both heaven and the Lord himself to start the beginnings of Succubus creatures. Demons that fed off of the energy that came with sexual intercourse) - in the time of war, had it been important to mention that God created angels to have soul mates? Probably not on the top of the list with war in the air.. but the possibility that a significant other that completed them in ways that no other would be able to? It astounded Jace as much as it did the others .. however it also came with a growing fear.

What if this growing obsession was just that - an obsession - and nothing more? Would the both of them be able to handle the hard fall that came with it in the end if it was? .. And what if she were in danger because of him being who he was, always targeted and on the run due to things that indirectly involved her? He didn't think that he would be able to handle such a thing 'well' if it came to pass. There was something about her though that made him want to be the starstruck moth whom was en captured by her flame.. for once he looked at a female with more than friendship (Isabelle) of lust. He held doubt that she ever had someone's attention that was solely on her - by the nervous shifting she had given to him.. almost as if she didn't know how to react to him - never mind being involved in a serious relationship to the point that it passed the stages into sexuality. The mere thought that she was indeed as pure and innocent as she portrayed, sent a shock wave of possessiveness and hunger pulsing through his veins..

He shook his head gently, the action a fraction side to side that went unnoticed to her as she looked down at her shoes with embarrassment; an adorable blush dusting her cheeks as she seemed to struggle on what to say in response to him. The intensity that he felt, no doubt reflecting deep within his eyes, softened as he stared at her. He found that even though he knew naught as much about her as he liked to; there was a spark growing within the depths of his body as he stared at her.. desperately trying to uncover all those delicious secrets that she possessed.

Her phone rang suddenly, cutting through the silence that engulfed around them and the very instant that she retrieved it from her satchel did he witness a brightly lit smile curve upon her lips. It was one seemed to right his world back on an appropriate axis; a problem that he didn't even know that he had .. she flipped it open with eagerness that made him hope and pray that it wasn't some childish boy from her school that he'd have to compete with to earn her affections. Then she spoke, greeting the person on the other line with happiness and it settled his nerves (whilst beating himself up for allowing him to get overwhelmed in the first place..) however they weren't chased away for long. He could feel it; something was on the horizon.. something big and deadly. He only prayed that they had the ability to make it out alive.

"Hey Moma!" Lillian greeted with love enlaced within her voice as she spoke to the woman whom took her in as her own child; loved her despite the fact that she had not come from her own womb.. unable to comprehend just what kind of storm was shrouding them all with dark intent, "..What's up?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading, I hope that you enjoyed it so far and will please let me know what you think of it? :)


	4. Carousel

"Hey Momma." The corners of Lillian's lips curved upward into. A wide, gentle smile as soon as she finished raising the phone to her ear; taking the call with her body instinctively turning away from 'Jace'... whilst pretending to only be vaguely aware of him. She couldn't explain the sensation that he drew out of her, it was almost like every nerve ending within her body vibrated with excitement at being in his presence. She didn't even know him and yet... Yet here he was, looking at her as if she held the answers to every question he ever had; right in the palm of her hand. No, deeper than that, held within her blood. Her entire world had been flipped upside down in less than twenty-four hours and yet she still couldn't make sense of it. She was just Lillian Fay, average and certainly not an angel. Many had shared the opinion that she was a pushover since she was in Elementary school. Sure she may have always had a rare occasion where she would become feisty, but it was only when provoked. In the end though, if it came between helping others or putting herself first... Lillian had never been ashamed to declare that she wouldn't choose herself. Why would she be selfish... when others were in need? She felt that it was the right thing to do, even if it wasn't the easiest. Then again, nothing worth having in life ever truly was. Others didn't seem to think the same way, but that didn't mean that she had to be exactly like them. If nothing else, Lillian Fay was proud to be different; she just didn't realize how much until last night.

She still couldn't believe that she had quite literally sprouted wings from the skin of her back. It seemed surreal to say the least, even if Lillian was definitely confused... After all, if they had always been there - why was it now that they peeled away from her skin? It didn't make any sense to her, that was for sure. Her, an angel? She couldn't help but think that Heaven picked the wrong girl. Sure, somewhere along the way Lillian developed a sixth sense about things even with the seizures that she had since a child. Sure, she may be somewhere between 'self-preservation' and 'good intentions' go the personality scale... But she was still human wasn't she? She wasn't the strong warrior that Lillian imagined Angels to be. She was just Lily; quiet, boring Lily. It seemed no one genuinely liked her, one who chose her first.

Yet it was of the few that she trusted in this world; who was unbiased between Clary and herself - was her mother. Even if their bond wasn't held together by blood, Jocelyn Fay loved her all the same, whom raised her up without fail; even when Lillian was so sure that she would stop. Clary was her daughter after all, and She loved Lillian as her own - despite the conflict between both younger females. Lillian wasn't sure when it all began, the precise moment when The jealousy that Clary held for her grew into genuine hate and when something in Lillian shifted in response. Almost as if to protect herself from the one she had once called sister. Despite all though, her mother stood firm; even though all the while she failed miserably to get both of them to get along.

"What's up?"

A relieved breath sounded heavily from the speaker, the vibration muffling all else after it left her mother's lips, "Oh, Lillian! Thank God!" The teenaged angel took pause for a moment as worry spiked within her, her eyebrows furrowing together as close as they possibly could as Lillian tried to analyze her mother's tone.

"Ma... What's wrong?" Lillian responded back almost immediately because she felt her mother's voice was too relieved for something not to be wrong. She took a step forward to the back door where she came out of, hoping that Clary would be there and act like a sister for once, the daughter that Jocelyn Fay deserved. Lillian suspected that their mother had tried Clary a few times and by the relief she held just by talking with her, their mother finally had gotten through to someone.

The blonde suddenly became all too aware of Jace's presence as his army styled combat boots made a scraping noise against the cracked asphalt as he mirrored her movements. An image forced itself to the forefront of her mind of how he looked clad in leather, the hood of his jacket up and covering his hair. A black shirt underneath it that copied the color of his pants, two chain necklaces were visible as the sun glinted the silver brightly and she knew by the first glance she offered him this morning that he had some kind of rune tattoos peaking out from underneath his clothing around his collarbone and his wrists. ...Was it weird that his tattoos intrigued her more than they should have?

Yes, damn it, because her mother was obviously in trouble and here she was still trying not to gawk at him - a stranger, for crying out loud. She shook her head softly and forced herself to take another step away to further the distance between them. She couldn't do this right now. She couldn't seem to think about anything else but Jace while in his presence! She didn't even know his last name or the color of his hair, it was unfair that he brought out such strange and foreign emotions in her. Especially when her mother, her level headed mother, was outright panicking over something on the phone that was connected to her ear. _Pull yourself together, Lils._

"No time to explain. Find Luke, tell him that _Valentine_ found me! Stick with your sister, Lily!" Lillian could do nothing but freeze as a resounding crash echoed through the speaker, her entire body wincing in fright for her mother's behalf. She felt more than saw Jace move even closer to her, offering her silent comfort in the mist of this time... and for once she wondered why he was still here with her. Lily was swiftly going on emotional overload and all she wanted at the moment was her mother, but then the most important person in her life spoke again through the phone; her tone of voice sounding more resigned than when she first started. " _I love you. Both of you_."

" _Ma?_ _...Mom?!_ " She all but screamed in panic over the phone, even after she registered the audible click of the call ending. Panic seemed to threaten to blur her vision... or maybe that was the tears that stung their way to the surface of her glassy eyes. Her throat felt like it closed in on her and it wasn't long until dark spots threatened to dominate her vision. She felt the young man behind her move to grab her arm and twist her around before she even registered that her phone slipped from her grasp. In one gentle movement, Jace held her to his body with her face pressed up against his lean, muscular chest. If she hadn't been so focused on shaking off her upcoming panic attack by concentrating on the firm body pressed against her with her nose filled with leather and male pheromones that drove her crazy; Lillian sure would have blushed... and if she had actually did make a noise equivalent to a moan, well it was lucky that it was stifled against the leather. Not once did she contemplate the fact that he did hear her, being that her mind was consumed with horrific imagined situations that could have happened to her mother.

" _Clary_..." Lillian mumbled thoughtlessly, seemingly ignorant of how Jace had stilled in front of her as she thought of her mother's words - _"Stick with your sister, Lily!"_ \- and knew that she had to find the redhead... even though she wasn't exactly looking forward to it. At all. For her mother though, she would. "I need to find Clary." _...And then what, exactly?_ She may have been told to find Luke but that didn't mean that the guy Lillian knew since she was a child would be available during all of this. No, her mother said to tell Luke that Valentine found her... which meant that she was on the run from someone and this Valentine could be anyone. Paranoia flooded her system, her mind twisting about like Lillian had been thrust on a carousel with no way to get off; as if the more she tried to struggle, the faster it spun. All the while the cheerful tune played through the speakers above, lights illuminating the twirling stage like she was in front of some big skeptical. Maybe she was, who knew for certain. After all, yesterday morning she was _just_ Lillian Fray, nothing special - as of last night she was an _angel_. Literally.

Lillian shook her head and forced herself to step back, out of Jace's embrace even though every fiber of her being wanted to stay there. There were bigger things at stake her than being confused about her feelings for a guy that should be nothing more than a stranger to her; yet every single part of her that made her who she was called out with yearning for him. She didn't know if it was because of what she was or whatever he was. She shouldn't care either way... and that was another thing she failed at. She looked at him in the eye and truly wished he could read in hers what she couldn't say out loud, "I'm sorry. I need to go."

She forced herself to turn away from him and swiftly ran toward the back door of Java Jones, hoping with everything in her that Clary was there with Simon. That she too wasn't harmed and whatever their mother was running from, Lillian prayed to God above that she wasn't too late. That her mother was alright. She had never really been a religious person prior to this, never really gave much thought what happens after you die. All she had been worried about was getting good grades in school, staying out of Clary's way and making her mother proud of her. Now that she knew, truly knew of with the pearl white feathers that had forcibly leaped off of the skin of her back... Lillian promised herself to put much thought into prayer. She was meant to be a messenger of someone good, wasn't she? There was no denying any claim of it to her now.

Lillian yanked the door handle towards her unneeded with the kind of strength she didn't even know that she had; the door swinging back at her in response to her urgency, and had to move her body out of the way to keep from getting hit before she disappeared inside. Lillian was at a loss what to do in that moment, trying to decide if she should go back to the house or not... and not even realizing that the very same one that would lay down his life to keep her safe was the very same person that she had left behind. Not that it would stop him, for Lillian Fray would find out much sooner rather than later that the soldier known as Jace would happily spend the rest of his life chasing after her.


	5. Growing pains

Lillian yanked the door handle towards her unneeded with the kind of strength she didn't even know that she had; the door swinging back at her in response to her urgency, and had to move her body out of the way to keep from getting hit before she disappeared inside. Lillian was at a loss what to do in that moment, trying to decide if she should go back to the house or not... and not even realizing that the very same one that would lay down his life to keep her safe was the very same person that she had left behind. Not that it would stop him, for Lillian Fray would find out much sooner rather than later that the soldier known as Jace would happily spend the rest of his life chasing after her.

* * *

 _Clary… I need to find Clary._ Lillian mentally urged herself as her body forward through the mingling crowd that was gathered in Java Jones. A part of her didn't want to find her _sister_ though, for she knew full well the reaction Clary would give her on sight. It was almost like Clary was offended by the fact that she breathed the same air as Lillian… and had no restraint for the anger that dwelled in her with this revelation. It made Lillian paused as soon as she caught sight of the redhead that was sitting there on one of the sofas in the coffee shop, laughing joyfully at something Simon said while their mother was-

Lillian shook her head, really not wanting to even think about it in fear that the pit that pulled at her heart from it's place within her stomach… would actually swallow her whole. Steeling herself; Lillian only take a minute to try and take a calming breath before she moved forward with urgency, not even minded by the way Clary's face fell at the sight of her.

"What do _you_ want?" Clary almost snarled at her; and maybe it was just Lillian's imagination, but the angel could have sworn that the redhead's eyes rolled back into her head for only a second. It was long enough to make Lillian freaked out at how Clary's eyes were primarily white as she was stared at with pure enragement. She remembered the many times that Clary had done it, but also recalled that Lillian blamed it on an excuse that made _sense_ to her… scientific and all of that. Now, Lillian wasn't sure what to believe. In the last forty-eight hours, she had been blindsided by things that shouldn't have been possible and as such, her mind tried and failed to process it the ways that it once had. Her mind always made sense of the information it was offered, however reconstructed it was to anyone else. Now though, Lillian felt like someone that should have been in the kiddie pool but was somehow thrown in the deep end… trying to cling to what was in hopes of surviving.

"Mom's in trouble." Lillian uttered after a moment, finding her bravery even though ever instinct she had told her to run away. She hoped that Clary would take one look at her face and know that what she said was fact, but she wished for too much. Nothing with Clary had been easy, starting with when they were in diapers together… what made her think that this would be different?

"Yeah, whatever." Clary scoffed before she looked at Lillian with an expression that showed just how unamused she was, "I understand. She wants me home. I got the fifty missed calls, I get that. What is a loss to me is that she would even call _you_ , the adopted child, to try and bring me home. As if I would ever listen to what you have to say. I am the oldest, _Lily_." The redhead said her mother's nickname for the blond haired teenager in a mocking tone. "I am the one that always has to bring you along. You know, if you had your own friends this wouldn't even be an issue. So, could you find _a little bit more respect_ for _all_ that _I_ do for _you_ \- _for once_ \- and run along home and tell mom that if she wants to me home _so bad_ to come and get me herself. If not, I will be back by eight night."

Lillian stood there in shock, at not only her words but for the fact that now she understood why her mother was so relieved to get ahold of her. It was because her mother had tried Clary and failed. Simon had tried to stop his redheaded friend from speaking and maybe it had something to do with the expression on Lillian's face, but he was steamrolled over as Clary ranted. It seemed like the redhead kept all of this to herself and it just built up until it… _exploded_. And as Clary breathed heavily out of her mouth, looking at her with wide eyes, Lillian waited for her to say something else. It was for naught though, for Clary just swallowed once and looked away from her. The blond breathed in sharply for Clary didn't take it back… which meant that Clary had meant to say _every word_ that she had spoken. One thought came to Lillian and in her own shock, the four words slipped out of her mouth. Once they were out, a large part of Lillian refused to take them back…

"You're such a _bitch_." The curse word seemed to flow thoughtlessly off of her tongue, even though Lillian didn't curse often enough to possess that kind of ease. However, Lillian still blinked owlishly at the statement and took one good look at Clary's facial expression, to see it shifting from shock to anger, before the blond stormed away from them. She moved with single mindedness towards the door and left Java Jones after bumping into only one person. She didn't even see her "sister's" expression transition from pissed off to deadly pale when Clary met the narrowed eyes of Jace's darkening blue.

 _Mother… forgive me._ Lillian prayed silently before darting forward as quickly as she could, mentally mapping out where Luke's shop is from Java Jones. A part of her wanted to go home, see if her mother… was there, but decided that going alone there was too reckless. She wasn't Clary and without knowing _who_ , or better yet _what_ , her mother was running from in the first place… Lillian knew she would be useless in that kind of situation. The unknown. Who knew if her mother would even be there? What if something else waited for her there? Her mother told her not to come home, specifically, and Lillian knew that she trusted the woman that loved her so. Her mind's eye flashed with Jace's face seemingly on it's own accord, making Lillian blush and shake her head at the same time. Now wasn't the time, and as such as she was comfortable in Jace's presence… she also still didn't understand as to why.

With Clary not in her corner, _again_ , and her mother in some kind of trouble… all Lillian wanted was to be held. Be safe and hidden somewhere where the outside world couldn't get to her. She wanted her momma and the warmth that she offered; but that wasn't reality. Not today.

Lillian stopped to fix her shoulder bag of treasures into a more comfortable position and darted forward once more, almost tripping over her own feet to dodge out of the way of a bicycle messenger. Lillian ran with bated breath until she had to halt at a crosswalk. _Safety first._ The thought came barreling into the forefront of her mind as Lillian tried to process what to do. _Find Luke._ The two words came easier now, followed by the order that her mother commanded of her.

 _Focus._ Lillian urged herself before darting forward when she received the white walking pedestrian sign, weaving through the crowd that covered downtown Manhattan and not even stopping until she saw Luke's bookshop come slowly into sight. With a relieved sigh that left her lips, Lillian continued onward with seemingly new energy but when she finally stood in front of it, the excited balloon in her stomach seemed to deflate. " _Locked?"_ Lillian questioned, shocked and the emotion only grew when she looked at her phone and related it was only ten o'clock in the morning. "...What now?"

She called his number, waited impatiently to the rings before it went to voicemail… and then Lillian Fray tried again. It was on the fifth desperate call that the Angel made in a span of three minutes that Lillian's patience finally snapped, "Damn it!" She growled unconsciously, before placing a harsh kick on the black security gate on the door… and instantly regretted it due to the pain that clutched at her toes. In the instant that she backed away from the door, defeated, is when someone grabbed at her arm from behind. Lillian yelped in fright before swinging around to see who grabbed her, to attempt to get away, before her eyes locked on a face that was becoming familiar to her. Those blue eyes that followed her every move and that blond hair which her fingers irritatingly twitched in protest, wanting to run themselves through the locks to see if they were as soft as they looked.

"-Lillian!" His voice cut through her thoughts, ironically he was saying her name but it wasn't just that that seized her heart. It was the way he said it; so protective, cautious and full of concern. She remembered the rune that he tattooed on her and couldn't help but now wonder just what it entailed, if it was the cause of her behavioral outbursts or if that was all on her. Was it just a tattoo or is it so much more?

"...Jace?" She questioned after a moment; watching silently as he inhaled slowly and released a deep cleansing breath, relieved for some reason. It made her wonder just how long he was trying to get her attention… and how long he stood there watching her mental breakdown. _He… followed me?_ Lillian mentally asked herself, going over the possibility with a deep blush dusting across her cheeks, because he very well could have. She did kinda leave him behind while she ran off to find her sister, but there was one question that didn't really sit well with her. _Why would he even care?_

"What's the problem?" Jace asked soothingly now, his voice lowering as he tried to gain understanding. He was trying to calm her from the panic and vulnerability that gripped Lillian and pulled her down under the ocean's current, for it aimed to drown her within the storm of herself. He was clearly asking what was going on _here_ , at Luke's shop, to lead her to it and Lillian had to swallow. Jace, whomever he was, had to have followed her here. It was the only thing that made sense at the moment; ironically, suddenly knowing this as more than just a possibility set her at ease. There was something that he - _unknowingly?_ \- did that just made her feel safe. She didn't figure it out yet, but Lillian knew that she would… even if it was the last thing that she did.

"My mother is in trouble… she was running from someone. She said it was ' _Valentine_ ', although I don't know how you can be _hunted_ and _kidnapped_ by a _Holiday_." Lillian listed off in a dry tone of voice that almost concealed her panic, and Jace only took pause for a moment before telling himself that the only Valentine that he knew of in the Shadow world was dead before the teenaged boy refocused on her. _There was no guarantee that Lillian's 'mother' was even a shadow hunter… but then again, who else would heaven trust to keep one of their own safe?_ "Maybe an old Valentine, twisted admirer? I don't know. She may be _missing_ , and Clary is no help. _Again_. My mother told me not to go home, that it wasn't safe and Luke…" She paused in her rant that bordered at the edge of panic to look at the store again, "He should be here."

"Luke?" Jace questioned, trying to connect the dots and steeling himself for what was to come. He needed to be strong for her - for Lillian - and help her on the path before her. Jace knew that the rune would help her; minimum stop any and all future seizures… maximum capacity, it would slowly restore her mental state. It all depended on how strong the soul residing in the body that the rune was etched on was. He nodded his head gently when she told him that Luke was a friend of her mother's, a person all of them had come to trust, and how her mother told her on the phone to find him. He could only release a sigh of relief that she didn't go rushing blindly into the building she knew to be her home, who knew what awaited her there. Then again, as much as Jace wanted to yank her away and hide Lillian at the institute, he also understood that if she didn't find out what happened to her mother… the curiosity and worry was haunt her. He wanted to help her in any way he could, and for now, she needed this.

In the same sense, this _Luke_ was busy off doing something else… somewhere else and who knew when he would be back? Jace supposed that he could break in, but that would have to wait until nightfall. Suddenly, the shadow hunter smiled gently at Lillian, unknowingly looking even more appealing to her as the angel took in his sparkling eyes and mischievous expression. "Lillian, where do you live?" It was a loaded question, he realized as soon as it left his mouth. Her mother probably instilled in her ever since Lillian was at a young age to not talk to strangers and not get into the car with them. He hoped that she would humor him anyway, but Jace also knew before Lillian's mouth twisted into a hard line that she wouldn't. Sure, Lillian might have known that there was something very different about him but she didn't even know who Shadow hunters were. She was _Mundane raised_ , but interestingly enough the knowledge of angels past glinting in her eyes… urging all to unlock the mysteries hidden deep within.

"My momma said-" Lillian started off in protest and didn't get far before Jace stepped forward slowly, mindful of what he was doing as he put reached to grasp her hand. His seemed to only be slightly bigger than her own as Jace laced his fingers through hers and gave a comforting squeeze.

"I know but what you don't understand yet is that I am a Shadow hunter, Lillian. I basically _hunt_ the things that go bump in the night." Jace tried to sooth her with his words, before raising an eyebrow and shaking his head when she asked him 'So… you're basically a blonder, blue eyed version of… Dean Winchester?' He didn't know what to say to that, it wasn't like he paid much attention to the Mundane world aside from it's history. In no book did he ever read about a 'Dean Winchester' so it must be a media thing; in a way he understood why she did that. Lillian tried to make sense of it, tried to use reference with the things in this new world to the one that she knew. "If he is a hunter that vanquishes bad stuff to save the day, then yes. I am."

He watched as she only nodded her head slowly, eyes roaming over his body in an almost calculating manner that made heat coil in his stomach. "Huh," She uttered softly, nodding her head once more as if silently telling herself that she could somehow see him hunting the strange… before Lillian connected her eyes with his, "If you hunt the strange… then why are you helping me?"

 _She thought of herself as… Really?_ Jace shook his head in exasperation, he couldn't fault her for that question because she didn't know what he was. At the same time though, it wounded him - almost _physically_ \- that she thought of herself as strange. For someone that spent her life away from all of this, her line of thinking might be correct… but if she grew up in his world, knowing that all of the things behind the stories were true, Lillian Fray would undoubtedly know that she was the lightest creature of them all. Her happenstance upon this world was the only thing strange about her so far; and he needed to reassure her, to break the cycle that someone looped her in. ...His guess was Clary, the adopted sister that Lillian could never please. He felt something in Clary's presence, his instincts flared trying to tell him that something wasn't right. Jace just hoped for Lillian's sake it was a false alarm.

"You aren't as strange as you think, Lillian." He smiled at her and tugged her by the hand toward him playfully before letting go of her hand, continuing onward even as she opened her mouth to speak, "You are special in a world that is shrouded with darkness, a darkness many don't know of yet. I am going to help you but first, we need to try and find out what happened to your mom. I need to know where you live; it might seem scary to you and you might not want to go… but you don't want to regret not trying to find out what happened. I will be with you, I promise."

He held out a hand this time, urging her with his eyes to grab it and lead the way… for he knew he would always follow her. "Trust me." Jace pleaded, even if he couldn't explain yet why she should because they were still out in the open. All he could do was keep his eyes locked on that vibrant shade of blue, and for a long moment there was naught but silence between them… until he felt her hand gently touch one of his gloved fingers. Lillian looked down at their hands for a moment but resituating hers to grasp his more firmly; and when she darted her eyes up to meet his own, her face was etched in a determined expression. In that one look, Jace swore that he could see all she was within her soul… and all that she could be.

She nodded her head gently in consent, eyeing him for a moment more before she spoke. "...Okay."

* * *


	6. Fight or Flight

**Hey people, I know it's been awhile but I am back and ready to go. Thank you so much for the comments and kudos. I read each comment and it warms my heart that ya'll like it. This chapter… well, step 1 of Lillian becoming a badass, I guess. :)**

**Chapter six:** **Fight or Flight**

* * *

_He held out a hand this time, urging her with his eyes to grab it and lead the way… for he knew he would always follow her. "Trust me." Jace pleaded, even if he couldn't explain yet why she should because they were still out in the open. All he could do was keep his eyes locked on that vibrant shade of blue, and for a long moment there was naught but silence between them… until he felt her hand gently touch one of his gloved fingers. Lillian looked down at their hands for a moment but resituating hers to grasp his more firmly; and when she darted her eyes up to meet his own, her face was etched in a determined expression. In that one look, Jace swore that he could see all she was within her soul… and all that she could be._

_She nodded her head gently in consent, eyeing him for a moment more before she spoke. "...Okay."_

* * *

_When Jace said to trust him, this is not what I had in mind when I said okay._ Lillian thought with exasperation as she hesitantly led him home upon his insistence. They were moving down the street that she lived on and through the adrenaline, Lily couldn't help but marvel a little at the fact that she was actually bringing a guy over to the house. Clary brought guys, mainly Simon, over since they started middle school. Lillian. however, realized with a start that this was the first time that a guy wanted to come over to the house with _her_. Ironic, since this was a social call by any means.

"I… _Jace_!" Lillian hissed as soon as they were in front of the apartment; it was only when she was close enough that she felt like there was invisible, dark cloud of doom above the building. She couldn't help but attempt to cringe away from the full body shiver that ran down her spine.

He moved towards her, stepping into her personal space once more before grabbing ahold of both her hands once more. "Trust me, Lillian." He implored her again, his tone almost desperate. "I know you don't technically know me but… you gotta trust me. Trust me to keep you safe." His bright blue eyes narrowed in on her own, somehow picking up what her dilemma was more than what met the eye at first glance. The way her eyes shifted side to side as if suspecting something evil to pop out of nowhere… "Whatever attacked your… _mother_ , is it still here?"

Lillian glanced up at the building that held the apartment she called home for years now. At first glance it seemed normal, looking just how she left it this morning and she half expected her mother to call out to her from one of the opened windows. Only, Lillian couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong; very, very wrong. Her mother… She sighed and looked him once before nodding her head in confirmation. She didn't know how she knew this; or why Jace took her word as instant fact and pulled out what seemed like a long, silver freaking _sword_ seemingly out of _nowhere_ … but-

Suddenly her ears popped as the explosion from the apartment shattered the glass in the front window; fire danced outward and started to catch on the some of the leaves that intertwined on the tressels, the same ones that Clary had used to sneak out every once in a while. At the first sound of shattering glass, Jace seized her body with his hands and pulled her away from the house. "- _You alright_?" Broke through her dulled hearing and Lillian nodded once, and felt Jace's hand brush against her golden locks before he pulled away to run up the steps. After gulping down her fear and attempting to regulate her breathing, Lillian only needed a few seconds to contemplate her options before she ran after him.

Lillian pounded her feet up the stairs; her heart stopping when, what could only be described as, inhuman shrieks reached her ears. In front of her, Jace stood in the doorway… his body coiled like he was a dangerous predator lying in wait for his kill, ready to spring at a moment's notice. She moved forward a soundless step even though Lillian was sure that he already knew she was here. The angel gave him enough space but at the same time was curious and then she saw it; Clary crab crawling backward, her eyes focused solely on what Lillian herself couldn't see. Then, as soon as she had that thought, Lillian caught a glimpse of it. _It_ being an appropriate name unless you wanted to think of it as… something that was supernatural. It was something that would haunt Lillian's dreams weeks to come.

Tangled, long brown limbs spun as the creature moved forward in a wide spiral, it's head one that resembled something like a mix between a _German Shepard_ and a _Rottweiler_. The all white eyes that Lillian caught in that flash was terrifying to her: Why? ...Aside from obvious reasons, it reminded her of how Clary's eyes would flash when the redhead would get angry with her. Jace darted forward with lethal grace; swinging the silver sword in hand only for the creature to dive over it, landing over Clary. Lillian didn't even realize she was moving until she pulled Clary's arm to drag her backward and away from the creature. Despite how Clary had always treated her, she didn't feel right just leaving her. Not when they were facing almost certain death if Jace wasn't here. Lillian knew that she probably shouldn't have put such trust in Jace when she didn't even know his last name but… There was something in the way he held his weapon, how he carried himself and how he stressed to the fact that she would be safe with him… it made her want to believe him.

 _It_ growled darkly at Lillian and the sound instantly made Jace tighten his grip on the handle of his weapon. The creature that was… _a part dog, part octopus thing_ … spiraled towards Lillian, it's eyes reflecting it's intent to kill and Jace swiftly moved toward her. He was only partially towards her however when something in Lillian urged her to flee. _The self preservation part of us all,_ Lillian thought with acknowledgment before she curled into Clary and with her body turned away, her hands came up in a last effort of defense. In response, the darkness behind her eyes suspiciously shone white, and she could now hear the dying shrieks of the creature. Curious, Lillian opened her eyes hesitantly and turned to see through the blinding light to see it wrap around the creature in pulsing, hot fire. When the light dimmed and ceased altogether, when Clary's hissing for it to stop… stopped and Jace opened his eyes to look between the dead creature and her in amazement, only then did it seem that time went back into motion.

Clary's breath was a hard exhale from her lips, the adrenaline that she now felt made her dark eyes seem impossibly wide and Lillian turned to look from the… burned and now diminishing _thing_ to Jace in worry. From the corner of her eye, she noticed that _it_ was evaporating into dark smoke. When Lillian refocused; the young man who claimed that he would do anything to protect her nodded his head with a visible, proud gleam in those eyes before Jace finally pulled off his dark hood. Blonde messy curls temporarily constricted half of his face until he silently did her a favor and raised a hand to push them back. His eyes scanned Clary in a once over to make sure the redhead was actually alright before he turned his attention back to Lillian, his gaze lingering there.

When Clary didn't get up, looking paler than Lillian had ever seen, the angel walked over and pulled her up. Only, Lillian stepped back quickly before her body could come into contact with Clary's swinging arms. "Don't touch me!" The redhead all but growled at the blond, eyeing Jace in disgust once before refocusing on Lillian, mentally thinking of her as the weaker counterpart. "What the hell was that, huh Lily?" She mockingly uttered the nickname that her mother gave the blond girl, before movement made her turn her gaze to Jace as he moved forward. Suddenly the fire in her eyes dimmed at the enraged look etched on his face and Clary backed up abruptly to put distance between them.

"Don't you _dare_ talk her like that." Jace's voice was harder than anything that Lillian had heard from him, but she didn't dare comment on how it made her feel that he was sticking up for her. Not many did, after all. It made her feel… _special_ , even when she knew that it shouldn't.

"And don't _you_ dare to talk to _me_!" Clary yelled back daringly, Fight or Flight instincts flashing within her eyes as she stared at him. It seemed that she stalled for only a minute before she continued in a desperate, yet meeker tone of voice, "You are a _killer_! A _cold_ , _blooded killer_! Figures that the first person Lillian shacks up with would be someone like _you_!"

" _I wish_ …" Jace murmured in a tone that neither one of them could really hear before he glared at Clary once more, happy that neither female heard his words because while at first he meant being with Lillian… with the way that Clary was acting and picking at all of his hunter skills, he was sure that it had a double meaning. One that he couldn't explain to himself, much less to either of them. "Right… compared to a _peace-loving killer_ , you mean?" He continued mockingly even when she opened her mouth to speak, "I don't kill _people_ , Clary."

"What about that _guy from the club_ , huh? What _elaborate story_ do you have for _that one_?" She blinked innocently at him, pulling off the disbelieving schoolgirl facade to perfection, mainly because she was one. It was so easy for her to pull off, one that always made it so easy to get her way.

Jace scoffed at her, looking at her blankly before telling her, "You wouldn't believe me even if I told you." _He was right_ , that much Lillian could testify through all the crazy that surrounded them. Clary was the kind of person that even though she was attack by something not of this world… she would still claim disbelief even when it stared at her in the face. Literally, it seemed.

"... _Try me_." Clary dared him even as she turned away from the both of them, eyes locked on where the creature had died. Lillian somehow felt sorry for her, feeling as though she wasn't the only one that was out of her depth with all of this. Lillian looked down at her hands; her normal, opened palms that had ridges here and a callous there. How had _her five fingered hands_ … done such a thing like create _white hot flames_? It was one thing to suspiciously wake up with a tattoo after a hanging out in a club, it was another to _literally grow_ wings and be able to bring _freaking fire_ -

"Heavenly fire." Jace vocalized to her after seeing what must have been on her face, and told her that he would explain later before he turned his attention to Clary… who seemed to be buzzing at how she clearly wasn't his _first notice_ even when it was Clary who asked - read: _demanded_ \- an answer from him. Clary only had enough time to spew in jealousy once more before Jace spoke again, "That _thing_ that _Lillian_ _saved you_ from? ...That was a demon." He regarded Lillian with a side look to see that the blond beauty was nodding her head in acceptance. Once again, he was in awe about how smoothly she was taking this but even if this was the first time that the angel saw one… Lillian saw the logic in his short explanation. After all, it was on her expression that Jace saw the completely rhetorical question of, "What else could it have been?" And she was right to, so seeing as Lillian was sold on the fact that there was more out there than she could have ever really dreamed of Jace painstakingly turned away from the one that didn't have being an angel to slide her into this explanation.

"And that 'guy' at the club… that was _also_ a demon." Jace continued, forcing his tone to be gentle even if the mantra that fueled his compassion was " _Lillian still views her as a sister…"_ When the day came that Lily didn't anymore, right after the moment that Clary pushed her too far, that was when everything would change. For now though, he would play relatively nice.

"Pan _demon_ ium…" Lillian murmured gently in the silence that echoed after he had finished speaking. She put the emphasis on the word 'Demon' in the middle of the club name, the one that she suddenly remembered being artfully designed underneath the symbol that drew them in. She finally got it and when she looked up to eye Jace with triumph sparkling within her gaze, finally understanding the pun for what it was and what even Clary hadn't yet figured out… it made Jace grin. He saw the satisfaction Lillian felt at being the first out of her and Clary to know something… and wondered not for the first time, _how idiotic is this world to be Lillian second best to anyone? Much less the annoying fly that was Clary?_

The two of them were as different as the sun and moon, in more ways than Jace would even describe. Clary was all fire; complete with the temper and being out of control. Lillian was the moon, cool and solid. At first glance, many didn't see the treasure that she was, thinking of her as simply a glowing rock that lingered far above their heads… only they didn't realize how much. How unattainable she actually was. After all, didn't many forget that the 'large rock' that was the moon… was the very thing that made it possible for the earth to turn the ocean's tides?

He nodded, in awe at watching how Lillian went from the hurting little caterpillar that he met at the club… to the transitioning beautiful butterfly that stood before him. The effect of the rune was almost immediate, building herself up from the inside out and Jace was left to stand shocked at the sight of her soul fighting for her brain's intelligence. For her own soul's peace. How beautiful it was.

"Your right…" Clary broke the moment through grit teeth before she soothed her tone, "I don't believe you." She ignored Lillian's exasperated sigh, almost as easily as she did every day since childhood.

"Demons can take possession of any living creature. You _can't_ trust everyone that wears a familiar face." Jace told the both of them, his voice soothing further as to attempt to steer the pair of them away from a pair of hysterical panic attacks. _They are doing as well as to be expected… at least I don't have two terrified, crying females in my proximity._

"I _don't_ trust Lillian, I _never_ have." Clary's voice hardened, her mouth running the words that were going through her brain and she felt her own sense of satisfaction knowing that each word hit a bullseye to Lillian's fragile heart. "If I don't trust her, someone that I was forced to grow up with… why the hell should I _trust_ you?" She had enough of conversing with these two and when Clary looked at the doorway, the door lying a few inches from her feet… she had an idea. She quickly moved through the doorway, on autopilot it seemed, but not before she heard the blonde goth speak.

"Well, as much as _I_ tried to, it was Lillian who did _just_ save _your life_!" Jace called out irritated to her to which Clary ignored in favor of rushing down the steps. The redhead reflected on her two unasked questions before she raised a fist to bang on the door in front of her.

 _...You mean to tell me that_ neither of them _hear the… whatever… calling out on how much that_ light _burned?_

_...And why did it feel like a stabbing knife when it hit me?_

Clary, for the life of her, couldn't figure out what all this meant.

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**As always, please let me know what you think of this chapter. Thank you so much for reading.**


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